It is high time that construction work on the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway project was brought back on schedule.
While delays are inevitable, it makes little sense that a highway expansion project, which was started in January 2011 and originally set to be completed in January 2013, is barely half done.
It is incumbent on the government to make certain that all parties that are part of this expansion project meet the new deadline, which has been set at the end of December this year.
The Dhaka-Chittagong highway is a primary transport route, as it connects the capital city with the primary port. Completing the expansion from a two-lane route to a four-lane route is essential to free up the roads not just for commuters, but for the flow of goods as well. All who need to avail this route should be able to do so without difficulty or being ensnared in traffic for hours, wasting precious time and money.
Again and again, we have seen important construction projects be marred by administrative procrastination, and this is no different. This does not need to be the case. It is entirely possible to go full steam ahead with construction, and without shoddy work being done.
Dillydallying on the highway expansion project helps no one, not the travelling public, nor the companies whose businesses are hurt.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
